The world's most unusual Valentines go to the dogs
15,000 Valentines to be delivered to America's 'Forgotten Dogs'
Tipton, PA, February 7, 2010—15,000 Valentines will be delivered this week to some very unusual recipients: dogs. Dogs of every breed, size, and color may receive one, but all that do have one thing in common—they are America's 'Forgotten Dogs.'
Dogs Deserve Better, a national rescue and advocacy group dedicated to ending the suffering endured by chained and penned dogs, annually sends Valentines and dog treat coupons to canines across the country. The 2010 campaign has reached a milestone: 15,000 Valentines will be mailed between February 7-14 to chained and penned dogs nationwide.
Dogs of every breed, size, shape and color end up outside through no fault of their own. Caretakers claim they are not housetrained, too big for the house, or too dirty to be inside. Yet through it all dogs just want to be with humans, part of our pack, and putting a dog outside for life when he/she becomes a burden is not an acceptable solution.
The mailing includes a Valentine for the dog and a brochure for the dog’s caretakers, explaining why the practice of chaining dogs for life is a form of abuse. The materials encourage people to bring their dogs into the home and family or to find better homes for the animals.
“We call these dogs the Forgotten Dogs, because they may technically have a home, but do they really? Left alone in the elements, enduring extreme heat and cold, often withstanding inadequate or no shelter, food, or water, there's no doubt that these dogs suffer, and suffer immensely. Winter is a critical time to reach out directly to the people who chain their dogs, and what better excuse than Valentine’s Day to send these forgotten animals a little love,” says Tamira Thayne, founder and director of the eight-year-old non-profit. “Every winter our rescuers see dogs that have frozen in the snow, suffered frostbite, or otherwise endured horrific living conditions because of the longstanding misperception that it is ok to chain a dog and let it out there for life. It isn't.”
“This is the perfect opportunity for people who pass chained dogs every day but feel powerless to help them to make a difference,” continues Thayne. “People anonymously provide us with the addresses of these dogs, or make us a batch of Valentines, and we do the rest.”
Schools, scouting troops, and other similar organizations create the Valentines, expressing love and such unusual sentiments like "Chains Break Hearts" or "I Promise to Spread the Love, Not the Fleas." “Children have a natural affinity for animals and they enjoy making art projects,” says Thayne, an artist herself. "In this way we remind children of proper pet caretaking, and educate guardians as well."
Although the practice of 24/7 chaining is pervasive in many parts of the country, states and cities have started to pass laws against the practice. So far four states have passed limitations on chaining: California, Texas, Connecticut, and Nevada. Hundreds of cities and counties have passed limitations or flat-out bans.
Meanwhile, countless backyard dogs are spending yet another winter in the cold. Often, they shiver day and night in hole-riddled doghouses, suffer from thirst because their water is frozen, and pace neurotically from lack of exercise and attention.
Perpetually chained dogs often become aggressive from their constant confinement, thereby posing a danger to people, especially small children.
For more information about the Valentine’s Day outreach, go to http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/Valentines2010.html or email info@dogsdeservebetter.org.
For general information about Dogs Deserve Better go to www.dogsdeservebetter.org.
END
Contact: Tamira Ci Thayne • founder, Dogs Deserve Better • www.dogsdeservebetter.org
P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684 • 1.877.636.1408 • 814.941.7447
Note: For hi-resolution photos, please visit the site at
http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/Valentines2010.html.
Showing posts with label Valentine's Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Valentine's Day. Show all posts
Monday, February 08, 2010
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
10,000 Addresses? No Sweat...Just Get Me One Each!
Meet my newest foster, Delilah. (Rumor has it is considering me for her new mommy...she talks in her sleep when she's snuggled up to me at night, and I swear I heard her say it!)
She, like Riley who so many of you generously sponsored this Holiday Season, had been living on a chain without even the ability to see to relieve the daily boredom, loneliness, and yearly sojourn into Pennsylvania's winter cold. For she's blind.
Can you imagine even for a moment living your life on the end of a chain not able to see? How terrifying, so helpless to even defend yourself against intruders.
Thanks to a network of Pennsylvania volunteers, Delilah is now free and loving her inside home and family here with me, even sharing in the Christmas joys with her siblings.
Sadly, her beagle friend remains on a chain at the home where she lived; he's a 'huntin' dog', and they would not release him. I have sent them a special letter offering fencing if he could come into the home to live with them, but have not heard back yet. He will be one of the 25 new addresses I am personally pledging for our 2008 Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Campaign. But I know there are hundreds of thousands more of them out there across America and Canada!
I don't need you to pledge 25, but I am asking each of you to send us just 1 ADDRESS.
If everyone who reads this sends in 1 address, we will have well over 10,000 dogs receiving Valentines this year, and our 2008 HAVE A HEART FOR CHAINED DOGS campaign goal will be met and even exceeded!
To make it 'more anonymous' and easier than ever, I've put a form on the Valentine's page where you can submit your addresses simply and quickly, and include pertinent information such as how many dogs live there and whether they are chained, penned, or in some cases, both.
Drive by chained dogs Daily? Weekly? Please get those addresses today!
Truly don't see a chained dog anywhere near you? Consider making Valentines, sending coupons, or donating to cover the cost of the campaign.
Here's the link to our Valentine's page
Read this great article by Sandy Eckstein of the Atlanta Journal Constitution about the Valentine campaign:Some construction paper, glue and scissors could help a dog get a better life... Read More
She, like Riley who so many of you generously sponsored this Holiday Season, had been living on a chain without even the ability to see to relieve the daily boredom, loneliness, and yearly sojourn into Pennsylvania's winter cold. For she's blind.
Can you imagine even for a moment living your life on the end of a chain not able to see? How terrifying, so helpless to even defend yourself against intruders.
Thanks to a network of Pennsylvania volunteers, Delilah is now free and loving her inside home and family here with me, even sharing in the Christmas joys with her siblings.
Sadly, her beagle friend remains on a chain at the home where she lived; he's a 'huntin' dog', and they would not release him. I have sent them a special letter offering fencing if he could come into the home to live with them, but have not heard back yet. He will be one of the 25 new addresses I am personally pledging for our 2008 Have a Heart for Chained Dogs Campaign. But I know there are hundreds of thousands more of them out there across America and Canada!
I don't need you to pledge 25, but I am asking each of you to send us just 1 ADDRESS.
If everyone who reads this sends in 1 address, we will have well over 10,000 dogs receiving Valentines this year, and our 2008 HAVE A HEART FOR CHAINED DOGS campaign goal will be met and even exceeded!
To make it 'more anonymous' and easier than ever, I've put a form on the Valentine's page where you can submit your addresses simply and quickly, and include pertinent information such as how many dogs live there and whether they are chained, penned, or in some cases, both.
Drive by chained dogs Daily? Weekly? Please get those addresses today!
Truly don't see a chained dog anywhere near you? Consider making Valentines, sending coupons, or donating to cover the cost of the campaign.
Here's the link to our Valentine's page
Read this great article by Sandy Eckstein of the Atlanta Journal Constitution about the Valentine campaign:Some construction paper, glue and scissors could help a dog get a better life... Read More
DDB to Pair 10,000 Valentines with Chained Dogs
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tammy S. Grimes • founder, Dogs Deserve Better • www.dogsdeservebetter.org
tammy@dogsdeservebetter.org • P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684 • 1.877.636.1408 • 814.941.7447
Group set to pair 10,000 valentines with chained dogs
during "have a heart for chained dogs" week, Feb. 7-14
Seeks Elementary School Students, Clubs, Groups, and
Individuals to Make Valentines for Delivery to Chained Dogs Nationwide
Tipton, PA -- January 01, 2008 -- As Valentine's Day approaches, non-profit Dogs Deserve Better is asking for help from dog lovers and others in an unusual direct mail outreach which pairs Valentines created by schoolchildren with America's chained dogs.
Dogs Deserve Better, a national rescue and advocacy group dedicated to ending the suffering endured by perpetually chained dogs, annually sends Valentines and dog treat coupons to chained canines across the country. The group includes a brochure for the dog's caretakers, explaining why the antiquated practice of chaining dogs for their lives is a form of abuse. The materials encourage people to bring their dogs into the home and family or to find better homes for the animals.
By the end of January, the group needs 10,000 addresses for perpetually chained dogs, volunteers to make the Valentines, and donations of coupons for dog treats or dog food.
"Winter is a critical time to reach out directly to the people who chain their dogs, and what better excuse than Valentine's Day to send these forgotten animals a little love," says Tammy Grimes, founder and director of the five-year-old non-profit. "Every winter our rescuers see dogs that have frozen in the snow, suffered frostbite, or otherwise endured horrific living conditions because of the longstanding misperception that it is appropriate to chain a dog outside in any kind of weather."
"This is the perfect opportunity for people who pass chained dogs every day, or who live next door to these poor animals, but feel powerless to make a difference," continues Grimes. "People can anonymously provide us with the addresses of these dogs, or perhaps make a batch of Valentines, and we do the rest."
Dogs Deserve Better sees success stories every year from its grassroots direct mail campaign. "Of course, we get angry calls from people who are mired in habit or tradition and don't see anything wrong with chaining a dog for 10 or 15 years. However, on the flip side, we always learn of situations where the recipients of our Valentines take the opportunity to think about the suffering they are causing and either bring the dog inside or find the dog a better home."
The creation of the Valentines is an ideal project for schools, scouting troops, and other similar organizations. "Children have a natural affinity for animals and they enjoy making art projects," says Grimes, an artist herself.
Although the practice of 24/7 chaining is pervasive in many parts of the country, especially in rural areas, states and cities have, in recent years, started to pass laws against the practice. California passed a law in 2006 and Texas followed suit in 2007. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and South Carolina are among the states currently considering laws that would put reasonable limits on how long a dog may be chained outdoors. Hundreds of cities have passed, or are considering, similar legislation.
Meanwhile, countless "backyard dogs" are spending yet another winter in the cold. Often, they shiver day and night in leaky, uninsulated doghouses, suffer from thirst because their water is frozen, and pace neurotically from lack of exercise and attention. Perpetually chained dogs can become aggressive or insane from their constant confinement, often posing a danger to people.
Dogs Deserve Better provides a variety of services to people who agree to take their dogs off their chains, including providing help with socialization, housetraining, and fencing.
For more information about the Valentine's Day outreach, go to http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/Valentines2008.html or email info@dogsdeservebetter.org.
Valentines, addresses and donations can be sent to: P.O. Box 23, Tipton, Pennsylvania 16684.
For general information about Dogs Deserve Better go to www.dogsdeservebetter.org.
END
Note: For hi-resolution photos, please visit the site at
http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/Valentines2008.html.
Contact: Tammy S. Grimes • founder, Dogs Deserve Better • www.dogsdeservebetter.org
tammy@dogsdeservebetter.org • P.O. Box 23, Tipton, PA 16684 • 1.877.636.1408 • 814.941.7447
Group set to pair 10,000 valentines with chained dogs
during "have a heart for chained dogs" week, Feb. 7-14
Seeks Elementary School Students, Clubs, Groups, and
Individuals to Make Valentines for Delivery to Chained Dogs Nationwide
Tipton, PA -- January 01, 2008 -- As Valentine's Day approaches, non-profit Dogs Deserve Better is asking for help from dog lovers and others in an unusual direct mail outreach which pairs Valentines created by schoolchildren with America's chained dogs.
Dogs Deserve Better, a national rescue and advocacy group dedicated to ending the suffering endured by perpetually chained dogs, annually sends Valentines and dog treat coupons to chained canines across the country. The group includes a brochure for the dog's caretakers, explaining why the antiquated practice of chaining dogs for their lives is a form of abuse. The materials encourage people to bring their dogs into the home and family or to find better homes for the animals.
By the end of January, the group needs 10,000 addresses for perpetually chained dogs, volunteers to make the Valentines, and donations of coupons for dog treats or dog food.
"Winter is a critical time to reach out directly to the people who chain their dogs, and what better excuse than Valentine's Day to send these forgotten animals a little love," says Tammy Grimes, founder and director of the five-year-old non-profit. "Every winter our rescuers see dogs that have frozen in the snow, suffered frostbite, or otherwise endured horrific living conditions because of the longstanding misperception that it is appropriate to chain a dog outside in any kind of weather."
"This is the perfect opportunity for people who pass chained dogs every day, or who live next door to these poor animals, but feel powerless to make a difference," continues Grimes. "People can anonymously provide us with the addresses of these dogs, or perhaps make a batch of Valentines, and we do the rest."
Dogs Deserve Better sees success stories every year from its grassroots direct mail campaign. "Of course, we get angry calls from people who are mired in habit or tradition and don't see anything wrong with chaining a dog for 10 or 15 years. However, on the flip side, we always learn of situations where the recipients of our Valentines take the opportunity to think about the suffering they are causing and either bring the dog inside or find the dog a better home."
The creation of the Valentines is an ideal project for schools, scouting troops, and other similar organizations. "Children have a natural affinity for animals and they enjoy making art projects," says Grimes, an artist herself.
Although the practice of 24/7 chaining is pervasive in many parts of the country, especially in rural areas, states and cities have, in recent years, started to pass laws against the practice. California passed a law in 2006 and Texas followed suit in 2007. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and South Carolina are among the states currently considering laws that would put reasonable limits on how long a dog may be chained outdoors. Hundreds of cities have passed, or are considering, similar legislation.
Meanwhile, countless "backyard dogs" are spending yet another winter in the cold. Often, they shiver day and night in leaky, uninsulated doghouses, suffer from thirst because their water is frozen, and pace neurotically from lack of exercise and attention. Perpetually chained dogs can become aggressive or insane from their constant confinement, often posing a danger to people.
Dogs Deserve Better provides a variety of services to people who agree to take their dogs off their chains, including providing help with socialization, housetraining, and fencing.
For more information about the Valentine's Day outreach, go to http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/Valentines2008.html or email info@dogsdeservebetter.org.
Valentines, addresses and donations can be sent to: P.O. Box 23, Tipton, Pennsylvania 16684.
For general information about Dogs Deserve Better go to www.dogsdeservebetter.org.
END
Note: For hi-resolution photos, please visit the site at
http://www.dogsdeservebetter.org/Valentines2008.html.
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